In Our Universities: Backing Australia's Future the Australian Government announced the introduction of the Workplace Productivity Programme (WPP). The objective of the WPP is to encourage higher education providers to progress workplace reform which strengthens their capability to manage and implement workplace change. The WPP is intended to encourage flexible working relationships, direct relationships between employers and employees and improved productivity and performance.
Review of the Workplace Productivity Program
This paper provides a review of the Workplace Productivity Program (WPP). It includes a summary of the views expressed by higher education providers in relation to improvements gained in their organisations as a result of the WPP, as well as in relation to whether there is need for further funding within existing WPP parameters and an assessment of a number of progress reports from higher education providers for WPP-funded projects.
Report
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Round 2 - for funding commencing in 2008 for the 2008-2010 period
On 5 September 2007 the former Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, announced funding of $68 million for 36 projects across 32 higher education providers.
WPP funding is fully committed for the 2008-2010 period. The programme is likely to be reviewed prior to any further decision on funding.
The funding priority for Round 2 of the WPP was for projects that reform the efficiency, productivity and performance of institutions, strengthen their capability to manage and implement workplace change and contribute to the diversity of the higher education sector. Projects could address one or more the following areas, but were not limited to these areas:
- The review or reform of human resource practices.
- Professional development to improve productivity and performance through strengthened management, leadership and governance capability, and to assist the implementation of flexible working relationships.
- Systems development to improve flexible working relationships, direct relationships with employees, and productivity and performance.
- Review or reform of the efficiency of universities, including of financial arrangements and operational management. This could include for example budgeting, procurement, investment, internal allocation models, financial and accounting systems, asset and financial restructuring.
- Reform of the efficiency, productivity and performance of universities through mergers, amalgamations and course rationalisation by two or more higher education institutions.
- Initiatives to support the transition to voluntary student unionism (VSU), such as access to appropriate financial management and accounting bodies to assist with business plans, asset and financial restructuring.
- Initiatives that promote diversity in the higher education sector, such as the redesign of management and academic structures and differing approaches to course offerings and delivery.
Guidelines for Grants to Foster Workplace Productivity in Higher Education
WPP Round 2 Administrative Information for Applicants and Grant Recipients
WPP Round 2 Application Form
Please direct any enquires to the programme co-ordinator at workplace_productivity@deewr.gov.au or telephone 02 6219 3562.
Out-Of-Round Submissions
The Workplace Productivity Programme (WPP) Guidelines stipulate that funding allocations in any year will be available for meeting existing WPP funding commitments, for grants in response to submissions invited by the Department and for “grants in response to proposals outside the submission based-rounds referred to in 2.15.1(b) that address specific programme priorities set by the Minister from time to time.” (HESA 2003 Other Grant Guidelines). The former Minister for Education, Science and Training approved the following out-of-round submissions:
The Second AVCC (Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee) Action Plan for Women Employed in Australian Universities 2006 – 2010
On 15 November 2006 the former Minister announced $190,000 in funding for “The Second Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (AVCC) Action Plan for Women Employed in Australian Universities 2006 – 2010.
This initiative has the support of the AVCC’s Senior Women’s Colloquium and will assist universities to build on recent equity achievements.
The Commonwealth Government funding matches a contribution from the higher education sector. Action Plan priorities are:
- to encourage all universities to integrate equity strategies and performance indicators into their institutional plans;
- to significantly improve the representation of women in senior roles by encouraging equity initiatives in critical areas; and
- to monitor the patterns of entry of women into academia and respond to barriers to sustained entry.
LH Martin Institute for Higher Education, Leadership and Management
On 1 May 2007 the former Minister announced funding of $10 million over four years 
for The L H Martin Institute for Higher Education Leadership and Management (the Institute). Located at the University of Melbourne, the Institute is a new national, interdisciplinary institution designed to enhance the quality of post-secondary education management and governance in Australia and the region.
The goal of the Institute will be to improve the quality of post-secondary education management and governance, through training the next generation of leaders of Australia’s higher education and VET institutions in the strategic management of their institutions.
The Institute will offer modularised award courses in the leadership and management of higher education and VET institutions, with exit points at Certificate, Diploma and Masters level. The Institute’s flagship course will be the Masters degree. The awarding institution for the Institute’s award courses will be the University of Melbourne. The Institute will also offer short intensive courses for specific groups such as middle level and senior academic managers.
The Institute will work with other academic entities with an interest and expertise in leadership and management, and related aspects of higher education and VET. The Institute will also develop a close association with the New South Wales Department of Education and Training, a major TAFE provider, and with the Australian Council for Private Education and Training (ACPET) to ensure that the needs of private tertiary education providers can also be met.
The Institute will have an Advisory Board with membership consisting of international experts on higher education leadership and management; the Vice Chancellors of Melbourne University, Victoria University and the University of New England; representatives from the G08 Universities, the Innovative Research Universities, and the Australian Technology Network; and representatives from Federal and State government and the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZOG).
Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
On 19 June 2007 the former Minister announced that the Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education would receive $2.2 million to assist their Efficiency and Productivity Reform Programme.
The Batchelor Institute, located in the Northern Territory, is Australia’s only Indigenous institution of higher education. It serves students from rural and remote communities. It has a particular focus on health and other courses relevant to the students’ communities and plays a significant national role in Indigenous student access to higher education.
The funding will allow the Institute to undertake comprehensive reform in areas such as staff turnover, skills development and financial management including procurement and human resource management. It will improve planning and governance of the Institute and will enable it to develop sustainable human resource practices, including workforce planning, which will help to attract high performing teachers.
Round 1 – for funding commencing in 2006 for the 2007-2008 period The funding priority for Round 1 of the WPP was the review and reform of the operational and financial efficiency of universities. The department received 94 applications for Round 1 and the former Minister approved funding for 48 projects, to a total of $60 million across 31 institutions. Projects funded under Round 1 are listed in the Round 1 WPP Projects 
(32.5 KB) spreadsheet.
WPP Round 1 Administrative Information for applicants and Grant Recipients
WPP Round 1 Application Form